Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-09
NO FISHERIES QUESTION.



From the Wash. Cor. Boston Advertiser.l
have made It i point to talk with sew
eral senators on the Atkinson proposition
during the past few days, and with gen
eru accord they have expressed uisfavor
for the scheme. Senator Edmunds was
most decided on the point going so far as
to pronounce the purchase of New Bruins
wick, Nova Scotia aud Prince Edward Is
land for S50000,00O or $4,000 600, with or
without their debt, rs quite ont of the
question.
The objections raised to such purchase
are generally two. In the first place If
the provinces were annexed or bought,
they would have to be established rs
States and called upon TO elect United
States Senators. Then again, the ma or-
ity belief is that the provinces could not
be acquired without trouble. and perhaps
serious trouble, with the mother country.
Overtures of a business sort or Of an an
neXatlOn without any reCOmpenSe, would
HI once lead, it s thought, TO pointed OBJ
jections. Great Britaln's grip on her ter
ritory is too tight and her love OF retain
ing it too strong to allow it to he easily
won away from her by Il rival nation.
But these objections are perhaps the
more distant. The main one, and that put
strongest 10y the Vermont senator, is that
pose of settling the fishery question, it is
hardly worth considering, for the reason
that there really IS no fishery question.
The testimony of fishermen Of Massachu-
sets, given III the most positive way to the
senate investigating committee in the sum
mer of 1888, was that American fishermen
do not wish to fish inside the three mile
limit at all. the fishing, with the excep
ton OF few sneaky sailors here and there
Is wholly outside the three mile line. Then
why so much hue aud Cry about revising
the boundary line. The bulk Of the fish
ing is the mackerel fishing, and the vessels
here, drawing the enormous puraeines,
which sink 100 feet down, aud reach per
haps mile costing SbOut 5000, cannot
approach the shore limit for fear lest the
net be cut or damaged on rocks or reefs.
The question has been changed from one
| of fisheries claims TO commercial privileges
where it really stands by the action of con
gress. The Senate earlier fully authorized
| the president to take any action he saw fit,
and later passed the retaliatOry act, drawn
principally to provide tor any instances of
| The abuse of American seamen or vessels
| by Canadian authorities. The provinces,
| the purchase of which is thus set aside as
unnecessary as n factor in the solution OF
| a problem that when simmered down does
not exist as strict fisheries question. are
| not in such condition that their pu rchase
would add anything in permanent value
| to the L nlted States. 80 quotes senator
| Allison. There IL no objection to our Sc
curing the provinces when they would
| come to us naturally and easily, but the
| date Of such an occurrence seems to be put
somewhere in the lo30's.
Gen Cogsweu arrived here this morn
ing. He expresses himself strongly in the
ksame line rs the senators most closely
interested and best informed in the mat
ter. THE sum of it all is >" SAWS he, that
there Is no fishery question. The Amerl
can fishermen do not wish to catch within
the three-mile limit. They never try to dc
1t. Whatever question there Is, is one OF
commercial rights. The Americans want
what the Canadians enjoy IN our ports
| What will settle 1t all easily enough Is the
the retaliatory power given the President
II he will only use that. Because we tai /
of retaliation, there is no need of war al
that Is necessary is to shut the Canadian
off from the privileges he has the cheek tt
enjoy at our hands and still TO deny to on
people.
1.-THE Englishmen are sharp, indeed
i They were tickled enough when they go
to me- citation. They believe that negotia
ton once started must lead to Il reciprooit'
treaty, by which Canada will fetch in he
fish free. 1t is plain enough that this il
what they set all this Robbery going for. Tn
other end of it is being worked Just IA
shrewdly. They come over here and dc
plore war, and say that two great nation
; will not fight over cod and haddock
= Fight of course not but that Is not an
} reason why the president should not trea
: the Canadian as he treats the American